Many people yearn for the sacred snowy paradise in Tibetan areas, but the Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Gansu Province is often overlooked. Originally a private haven for landscape photographers, this destination, which combines a variety of styles from Gansu, Qing and Sichuan, has now become one of the most beloved classic routes for outdoor self-driving enthusiasts.
As camping enters the field of vision of more and more people, Nordan, the top domestic wild luxury camp hidden in the depths of Gannan, has also appeared in the eyes of the public.
As in previous years, Nordan Camp will officially open on May 1st, when flowers on the mounds, birds in nests, and chubby marmots will join the camp to welcome every guest.
About landmark research
"I have repeatedly asked myself what luxury is? It should be the experience of a person immersed in nature, in the wonder and light it creates."
- Nordan presided over, Edan Jeb
The camp, which is 3,200 meters above sea level on the grassland, with undulating terrain, wildflowers and meandering rivers, was founded by Tibetan Yidan Jeb Yidam and his Tibetan-american wife Dechen.
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Named to National Geographic Magazine's Top 10 Best Wild Camps in the World
As China's first nomadic camp in an environmentally sensitive area, Nordan camp is only open for about 5 months a year. Because the best time to travel to the grassland is between May and October every year, when the climate is just right, the cattle and sheep go to the higher altitude to taste the delicious green grass, and in October they need to return the grassland to nature and maintain ecological balance, and the Nordan camp officially opened a new way of travel in the country - Glamping.
Nordane is more than just a camp. The beauty of the grasslands, the life of the herders, the art of Tibetan art, the religious culture, the spirit of craftsmen, these voices that deserve to be heard by people, will be amplified by Nordan.
After so many years, Nordan is still 7 cabins and 4 tents, and there is no expansion in the 300 acres of vast grassland; it is still a dry toilet without a flush toilet and a public bathroom with 24-hour hot water supply; it is still a place where it is willful and only opens for 5 months a year, and it turns back to the winter pasture in winter; there is no disposable toothbrush and toiletries here, and there is no traditional Tibetan song and dance performance...
The boss, Yidan Jeb, said: "I think the sound of nature is very beautiful, the sound of the wind, the sound of the rain, the sound of the river..."
The Sanko grassland at an altitude of 3100 meters has a large temperature difference between morning and evening, but the tent is always warm, because the Tibetan aunt will prepare firewood in the stove and bake the house warm in the morning and evening.
Small biscuits and tibetan incense baked in yak ghee are Nordan-style meet and greet gifts
About the camp aesthetics
Camp Nordan is open to everyone from May to October, when the gannan sangko grassland is the most comfortable and beautiful time on the grassland. With only 5 months of opening hours, as one of the few camps in China that is truly wild and luxurious, it is difficult to find a room every year.
Image credit@DDD Lina
The interior design of Nordan Camp is unique in the world, with bedspreads, curtains, carpets and cushions specially designed for the camp and handmade by herders
The design themes of the textiles are cranes, horses, yaks and other grassland animals Many people do not know how precious yak hair is, if you collect a ton of yak hair, after cleaning, there are about 250 kg of it that can be used, so in the end only about 25% of the yak hair can be made into a product.
Some of the furniture inside is collected from herders' homes and is very local. They collected a sheep dung from the herdsman's house, washed it and used it to put some snacks such as dried fruits and snacks, and some old cupboards were placed in the room, which made the local atmosphere of the camp more intense.
There is basically no artificial entertainment here, everything comes from nature's feedback, such as rainbows, rain, and the sound of rivers. Here you can also go horseback riding and watching yaks, and then you can hike to the top of the mountain in a daze.
Research on gameplay
About "Stay"
Tsepa Standard Tent (4, 18 m2. Each tent can accommodate 2 people)
The Tsepa Standard Tent is the basic type of camp and is made from hand-woven yak wool. The rooms are fitted with hardwood floors, the ceiling is high enough for guests to stand in the tent, and the daily morning light shines through the windows, making them bright and comfortable.
SHING Deluxe Chalet (6 units, 36 m2. Each chalet can accommodate 2 people)
Inspired by herders' retreats during the winter months, these modern chalets can accommodate two guests, with a choice of double or twin rooms. The room includes a balcony with original views, a sofa, an indoor toilet and a fireplace.
TSEPA Luxury Tent (1, 70 m2. Accommodates 2 people or 2 adults and 1 child)
Luxury tents are more spacious than standard tents and are ideal for couples and couples. The tent has only one room on the camp, with a queen-size bed, hardwood floors and comfortable bedding for guests to relax in the seating area and yak down sofa cushions, will make you extremely relaxed in such a room, the world of 2 people in this moment freeze, slow down...
TSEPA Family Tent (1, 120 m2. Sleeps 4 persons)
The TSEPA Family Tent is a house woven with traditional craftsmanship and consists of strong and breathable yak hair banners. The space is divided into two bedrooms (one queen and one twin), living room and balcony with river view.
SHING Family Chalet (1, 67 m2. Sleeps 4 people)
Modern wooden houses might be more suitable for families. The space is divided into two bedrooms (one queen and one twin), each with a balcony with pristine views and a spacious living room.
About Public Areas
The common areas at Camp Nordan are also very attentive. From the restaurant, to the event room, to the bar, every arrangement reflects the unique atmosphere of meticulous thoughtfulness and relaxation.
In such a space, whether it is a meal, or a tea tasting, or a night chat with friends who are gathered in the grassland with the north of the sky, under the sky and the sky, the best feeling is this.
About "Food"
Camp Nordan is inclusive of three meals a day, and the owner of the camp, Edan Jeb, said he interviewed many chefs and eventually chose Andy (once the chef of Aman Hotel Bhutan) because Andy is very good at using local ingredients to tell stories to every diner.
Andy tried every dish he made, and in the end, they chose 3 stories to make the camp's main menu: "Yak", "Barley" and "Ginseng Fruit".
In the morning, the buffet breakfast provided by the campsite, fresh milk, homemade yogurt... It's simple enough to wake up your taste buds. Especially the barley yogurt from the camp, which is worth recommending.
Lunch, the chef's carefully improved lamb burritos, can be said to have subverted my understanding of the traditional food of burritos.
The camp dinner is even more enriched, with exquisite three-course steaks, yak hot pot, and a rich buffet of hand-grabbed lamb. In short, no matter how many nights you stay here, you can be sure that you don't eat the same food every day.
Image source @ Veil
Recommended places to go around
01, Zagana
"Zagana" is a Tibetan word meaning "stone box", is a complete natural "stone city" commonly known as "Yama King's Hall".
The terrain here resembles both a massive palace and a complete ancient city made of natural rock walls.
Here you can watch the work and life of the local Tibetan people, and feel the simplicity and tranquility of the original Tibetan village.
02. The first bay of the Yellow River in the world
Maqu is a Tibetan word meaning "Peacock River", which means "Yellow River", and is the only county in the country named after the Yellow River, famous for the first bay of the Yellow River.
The Yellow River descends from the Bayankara Mountains to the east, forming a 433km long "First Bend of the Yellow River" in Maqu County. Because the process is too long and the span is too large, the ground cannot enjoy the whole picture of the first song.
More than 10 kilometers northeast of the county seat, the whole picture of the small first song can be observed, which is quite similar to the whole picture of the first song, so as not to disappoint the tourists who come to the city. Located 4km from the county seat, there is the first bridge of the first song, which was built in the upper reaches of the Yellow River.
03. Lazikou
Located on the edge of the road from Diebu to Min County, Lazikou is an extremely dangerous canyon pass, surrounded by mountains, and the gorge is like a knife and axe, and the Lazikou River rushes out of it.
During the Long March, the Red Army bravely broke through the dangers here and opened the passage from the north to Shaanxi and Gansu, so it also became an important victory in the history of the Chinese revolution.
Come to Gannan once, the beautiful Sanko grassland can make you fascinated, live in Nordan once, listen to the love story of Nordan's master Yidan and his beautiful Tibetan-European mixed-race wife Deqing, you will have a different understanding...